CHAPTER 1

"Mis-miss Arabella!"

A young boy beside me apologized, while suppressing his tears; this became the first scene I saw after waking up from a long dream. My head feels miserable and my body that's lying on the bed feels like it will break anytime soon.

"...."

I didn't say anything and just looks at him with my eyes roaming around his face. When I realized something I chuckled and let my eyes off of the young boy beside me and stare at the ceiling. I saw him flinch in my peripheral vision when he heard my faint laugh.

"This is not true, tell me...this isn't true." I mumbled to myself.

"Miss...you-you can punish me again for what I did, but please don't kick me out. I-I'll do anything and I won't wander off the woods ever again!" my eyes went towards the young boy again, when I saw his suppressed tears that are now falling freely down his face, made me sad and mad at same time.

The kid closed his eyes when he saw my left hand reaching his face. My fingers gently wiped his tears that made him open his eyes and stared at me with shock visible in his eyes. I retracted my hand after wiping his tears and stare at the ceiling again.

"Get me some water kid." I said, he quickly reacted to my words and immediately run towards the door, probably to get me some water.

When he's no longer beside me, I forced myself to sit. Even though I felt like dying, I still managed to sit on the bed and roam my eyes around the room.

This is definitely Arabella Maguire's room. A side character in a novel...that I wrote. Although it's me who wrote it, my sister was the one who became known to be its author.

This is insane. All I wanted was to get away from them and live my life to get what I truly deserved. Free from her clutches, free from always being a good sister that doesn't say a thing even if all I get was nothing. For twenty years, I became my twin sister's shadow. Allina, my twin sister has a heart disease and I am her twin sister who's healthy. We're fraternal twins, they say. Always hearing those saying how lucky I am makes me sick. My parents telling me that I should take care of my sister, instead of going out with my friends makes me nauseated. I do love my sister before, she became my only world. My parents and I, our world revolves around her. All of my achievements became nothing in front of my parents, it's fine. Me, being called a loner in school is fine, because my sister is more important to me.

Everything went downhill the moment I persuaded my parents to let me participate in the Musical Theater Club. They didn't agree to it and they insisted I should just focus on looking after my sister. I didn't tell a single soul and went to join the musical theater club, even if my parents didn't agree to it. Everything was fine, nobody knows at home, my voice became livelier at home, my parents even ask if something good happen at school. I just said that, my new classmates are fun to be with. Never have I ever thought that my sudden change, triggered my sister's suppress hate to me.

The day arrived when I'll be able to show my hard work to everyone at school. Everything seems fine, but when it was my turn to sing and act my part on the stage. My sister came rushing in the backstage clutching her chest. She's pale like she's about to die. I went towards her and carried her in my arms and went to the nearest hospital.

The doctor said that I shouldn't worry, since she's already stable. I went out to get some air and to buy some fruits for her. My club mates, kept on calling to ask me what happened. My role wasn't that big, so even if I wasn't there, the whole play wasn't that much affected. Although my heart felt like it's breaking apart, I held on. Because my sister is more important than a play.

After buying all the things I need, I went back to the hospital. I was about to open the door when I heard other voices inside.

"What happened? Why did you rush to your sister's school Allina?" It's mother's voice. Sighing I held on to the doorknob and was about to get in, when I heard my sister's answer that made my chest felt like someone punched it.

"I hate liars, mother, she lied and join that trash club. This is her punishment for deceiving us." Her voice that was gentle in my ears every time we talk became so poisonous and full of hatred. My sister whom I love dearly, my sister whom I always prioritize, my sister whom I always take good care of, my sister whom I chose over my friends and club. My sister...

Without thinking any further I went inside the hospital room and looked at my parents and sister talking. They didn't know that I was already inside because they are all focused on my 'punishment' my sister had given me.

"Allina, don't ever do this again. Even if your sister lied, you should've just told us about it. We'll punish her on our own; you shouldn't exert yourself too much. Next year will be your operation, we should be careful until then." My father worriedly said while patting my sister's head.

Was that all they can say? Was that something a parent should say? Am I even part of this family?

"Father, I'm fine. It's not a serious heart attack, I just need to act for sister's punish-"

"An act?"

After saying those two words, all heads turned towards me.

"Si-sister?" her stuttering words makes me sick, I want to walk towards her and slap her until my hands turns blue.

"Arabella, please don't make a scene here. Allina was just doing the right thing, instead of looking after your sister; you're in your school playing with your classmates. Aren't you being selfish?" my mother's words pierced my heart.

My eyes went wide; my mouth can't seem to find the right words to say. The world where I'm picturing out a happy family crumbled. Was this the family I've loved all these years? Was this my sister I've been looking out for? Was she someone I know? Was she?

"I-I'm selfish? You all knew how much I sacrificed for MY SISTER all these years father, mother? I never went against your orders, I always make sure she's safe and happy even if I don't get the things I want. BECAUSE MY SISTER IS SICK! But, I never knew she's also sick in the head, If I've known it earlier, I should've rushed her to the mental hospital instead here to cure her head!"

*SLAP*

"You! How dare you say those words to us? You ungrateful bastard!"

"Father! Don't hurt sister!"

My sister tried to get up from the bed, but my mother stopped her.

"Let her have her punishment for those stupid words Allina. You're right, for punishing her earlier." Those words that came out of my mother's mouth, made me inhaled sharply. After slapping me, my eyes just stared at my father blankly. Even my tears seem scared to even come out. Father turned his back on me and went back beside my twin sister.

"All those seventeen years, I kept it inside me. All those years I wanted to kick you out of the house Arabella. Why do you think I still let you live in our house?" he ask while looking at me with glaring eyes.

"I-I'm your daughter, why-"

"You're not my daughter! You're just my late sister's bastard child. I even had to make you my precious daughter's twin sister just to avoid rumors. Now, that you already know. Make sure to know your place. You were never part of my family. You're just another baggage in my house, never ever get in my daughter's way. All you have to do is to please her, that's how you pay us for raising you all these years."

My body went cold, my voice can't seem to find its way out of my mouth. All I can do was stand there and look at them with the eyes of an abandoned one. After a few seconds I laugh.

"I see. Now I know. I'll be going now. Ma'am, Sir and Miss."

With that I went out and went to the park. I sat down on one of the benches there and cried. All of it, all those years of suffering and pleasing them, all of them were just a waste. Am I just alive to please them? I feel so empty. All my dreams, all my plans for the future..for my family's future crumbled just like that. If I die will they shed tears?

The following days, turned our house cold. When they told me I shouldn't participate in any club, I pretended that I never heard it. I made sure, I'll never get caught in doing what I love. I started doing what I wanted and at the same time doing all the things they ordered me to do. Everything was fine, until they asked me something ridiculous, that anyone who'll hear this, will think twice if the person they're talking to is sane.

"You-you wanted me to marry who?"